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Newbie, question on taming / clipping

EmZee

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Late last fall, our housecleaner asked if we would like one of her parakeets. She has a dozen or so, who are self-replicating :), and had a young fellow somewhat recently hatched whom she thought we'd enjoy. She asked us to come up with a name so she could get him used to it and for whatever reason "Morty" came to mind. She said he was a male and I figured even if "he" was a "she" it could be short for Morticia.

Morty is a lutino, I think - pale yellow all over, slightly darker yellow at the top, and his eyes look red (though you can't see it that well in the photo).
Dropbox - morty - Simplify your life He's a bit on the small side, as I understand it, though I haven't seen enough other budgies close up to know for sure.

Anyway - she brought him over in early January. She's a big proponent of wing clipping, she says they are more tractable / easier to tame. Her birds get all over her house - I gather they can fly to some extent. Morty really can't - he plummets to the ground when we open his cage door; he can occasionally get a couple inches off the ground.

He's an Only Bird right now. At some point I might get a second one, but I've heard so much about how 2+ birds pay attention to each other and ignore their humans, so I've been wanting to hold off to try to get him tamed and maybe learn a phrase or two. He's not too lonely (I think); I work from home, so most work days and a good chunk of the weekend, I'm 10 feet away from him and talk to him regularly.

He does NOT approach us or let us approach him. If we need to handle him, it's a matter of chasing him around the cage with our hands, which is terrifying for the poor guy and stressful on us; half the time he manages to get past our hands and winds up on the floor. Holding millet ("birdie crack", we call it) has never motivated him to tolerate closeness; he also does not go near any fresh foods we try offering him - fruit, veg, occasionally a small bit of popcorn.

Birdie crack DOES serve as an inducement to get him to exit his cage; before I built the play structure, we would put a spray on a cafeteria tray on the floor just in front of his door. I hung a ladder from the cage so he could get himself back into the cage at will, which also helped.

He's so far only made it to the first raised level of his play tree - millet helped with that. I've since hung some on the next level up, so hopefully he'll take advantage. Having a rope-perch bridge from his cage to the tree made it more accessible also. I've set it up so that he can get to every level without flying - some horizontal platforms on each level will reduce the risk of him falling the whole way down if he gets to the top.

I had the idea that we should wait to let his feathers grow back (the cleaner has re-clipped him twice) until such time as he was more approachable, but after 5 months he still does NOT want to be approached. Other articles I've read say they will remain utterly skittish until he can fly away and then we might have better luck. He clearly WANTS to fly - he'll stand there and flap his wings frantically, with little effect. Occasionally he's gotten a few inches off the floor but nothing more than that; he can't even glide downward gracefully though that's improved some since his last clipping was a month or so ago. So I really want to let his feathers grow back. I do worry that since he's been clipped since such a young age, he might not ever learn to fly well.

Our housemate is worried about letting him fly when he's still so unapproachable; she makes the reasonable-sounding point that what if he gets up somewhere and we need to catch him to get him back in his cage for some reason.

Thoughts? I'm honestly against wing-clipping as a routine thing, but on the other hand if he's to have out-of-cage time, it might be safest if we can't get him to approach us.
 

Serin

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Birds like this will never become your best friends, do best with a companion, FULL WINGS and left to have their life as a bird.
For a tame one, you're so much better off buying a baby about 6 weeks old and the experience will be so much more fun for both of you.
A single scared bird in a cage, that can't fly, is not much of a life.

She is also a girl, and yellowface albino (some call this creamino) - not lutino.
 

sunnysmom

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Welcome to the forum. Your budgie is super cute. Budgies do better in pairs generally. Perhaps if you get a tame budgie it will help. I also encourage letting his wings grow out. It's better mentally and physically for a bird to fly. I would also start basically from step one with him. Sitting and talking to him. Handfeeding him some treats while he's in a cage. Putting a perch just outside the door with a favorite treat to encourage him to come out on his own and having him come out somewhere where he won't fall. If you can not grab him, that would be best as it really does make them fearful of hands.
 

Budgiebonkers

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being an ino they have bad eye sight so taming is out of the picture plus being a female it most likely wont tame
 

EmZee

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He (she?) does have a place to come out on his (her?) own - he/she exits the cage via the open door, then beak-walks over the cage rungs to where the rope perch connects to the play stand. That's where the millet is hanging. He was all over the bird tree today (hasn't gotten to the very top level yet, but I imagine that's coming). We leave the cage open all day when we're home; we do close it up at night. He makes this really cute burbling noise when he seems me coming to drape the towel over his cage (we cover about the top 2/3; he seems to like it OK and he can still see some light through the uncovered part).

So: female? I know the cere coloring is not as obvious with this coloration; his (hers?) is sorta pale lavender. The cleaning lady felt his / her pelvis and said it felt like that of a male. On the other hand, she's the one who used the term "lutino" so.... But, is that why you're both saying Morty is really Morticia? I can try to get a better close-up pic of his face?

I'd been wondering about the lutino label myself, as when I googled it, the photos were a brighter yellow. Yellow-face albino makes more sense.

I'd be worried about getting another parakeet now, knowing that Morty might be Morticia, as I don't want the hassle of dealing with eggs (though I've heard that if I don't provide a nesting box, she wouldn't lay - is that true?). Also with Morty being on the small side, mightn't egg-laying be a bit dangerous?

I guess if I do get another, I can ask that it be brought to me as soon as it's safe to leave its mother, so I can handle it more regularly from an early age.
 

Gribouille

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I guess if I do get another, I can ask that it be brought to me as soon as it's safe to leave its mother, so I can handle it more regularly from an early age.
And PLEASE, tell her stop clipping the birds wings!! Both Morty's and any other bird you might take in. This is a barbaric, traumatic pratice which is NOT helping getting healthy and confident birds. You will do just fine taming a healthy bird enjoying flying...
 

Disckerm

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When I got my guys (from Petco, never again), it took a few months to get them on my hand. At first I just brought a chair over and sat near their cage and talked to them so they would get used to my presence and voice.

Eventually I put my hand in the cage, just a tiny bit. When I could tell they were warming up a bit, I would put my hand in further. Eventually I put a bunch of seeds in my hand Beauty and the Beast style and waited. It took several days before they actually climbed onto my hand and ate a bit!

Once they were okay with my hand in the cage, we worked on letting them out.
A few months later my more outgoing guy started flying to me across the room and chilling on my hand!

The key is to read their signs and be patient. Don’t force anything, and if they seem very scared, back off and try again later. Forcing things makes them trust you less.

It takes lots of time, even if it feels like you’re not making progress, you probably are!

Parakeets do better in pairs and I would recommend getting a friend for them unless you’ll be home all the time with your bird. They will usually bond more to each other than to you in pairs, but they will be entertained when you aren’t home.
 

EmZee

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I've definitely backed off on any attempts to force-handle him. He clearly does not enjoy it; even once he calms down (somewhat) from the initial chase, he bolts for the floor and then back to the cage as soon as he can, so it does no good and almost certainly does harm. I spent some time just now with a sprig of millet in my hand, about 6 inches away from him in the cage, and he backed off from it even though he could have gotten the millet without touching my hand. Then a few minutes just sitting by the cage, repeating some of the phrases we're trying out: "Morty's a good boy!", "How ya doin'?" and "Hello there" without making eye contact.

My big safety concern is the combination of free-flying, untamed bird, and times when I really NEED him to get back into the cage for whatever reason. If he hasn't gotten to the point of trusting us, I have horrible images of needing to net him or something :(.

I'll talk with the cleaning lady on her next visit about adopting a baby budgie from her next time she has a hatching, and ask her to not clip its wings at all beforehand. I imagine the cage we have is more than large enough for 2, especially with the doors open to the play tree all day. We're travelling in a couple of weeks (someone will be here to keep Morty company though), so it wouldn't be until after that.

Some small progress today. I spent some time with my hand (bearing millet) in his cage, held in such a way that he wouldn't have to touch me to get the millet. No interest. I sat there for a bit and just kept talking to him. Later he went out of the cage onto his play stand. He was on a flat section of the front right; I moved closer and he immediately vacated that for the front left to get away from the Big Scary Human. When I got a spray of millet and laid it near his new spot, then withdrew my hand, he glared at me suspiciously then began chowing down. I tried resting my hand on the bar between my seat and the place he was eating, and he backed off, but ultimately went back for the goodies. He still didn't approach my hand (which was 10 or so inches away from the millet) but at least he ate while I was near.
 

Nighthawk0123

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Hey! Some sort of progress is always good :)

Definitely back off of the 'force-handling' as he's just going to get more scared. Do you have a stick? You can probably guide him back to the cage using the stick or maybe you can even get him to step up on it and put him in the cage. Make sure the stick is a little long so it's far from your hand and not associated with big scary human.

Personally, I wouldn't get a second budgie - when I had got my first 4 budgies - they came together in one cage. It took me 7 months to tame them all and make them comfortable. It really does take a long time. Seeing from your post, your home most of the time so I wouldn't be too anxious about him being bored. Seems like he has a lot of toys to keep him busy too :)

You've taken a good step in the right direction by talking to him without eye contact. Whenever (if) you do make eye contact, make sure you blink - it takes away your 'predatoriness'. Get him comfortable with your hand just touching the bars of the cage, this process may take a long time (took me a month). Eventually, he will stop backing away from you hand - this is when you know that he is getting more comfortable with you. Put your hand in the cage with a spring of millet after that - just like what you did - but inside the cage. Try to also get him to eat the millet outside the cage as often as you can - HAND FEEDING IS THE BIGGEST TRUST STEP.<-- Cannot stress this enough. Eventually, when he starts associating your hand with yummy seed, put your finger out and try to lure him onto your finger - even if he just puts one foot on.

I feel like you taking him out, and chasing him back in, is regressing your relationship with the bird - he's just more scared of you. Perhaps you should leave the bringing him out unless the stick method works.

When I first tamed by budgies, I put a single seed on my finger, and stuck it through the bars of the cage. Eventually, I just scooped out seed, put my hand in the cage and voila - they all came.

Hope this helps a bit! If you do get a second budgie, get a tame one, will be very beneficial in your relationship with Morticia?
 

Gribouille

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Do you have a stick? You can probably guide him back to the cage using the stick or maybe you can even get him to step up on it and put him in the cage. Make sure the stick is a little long so it's far from your hand and not associated with big scary human.
I used this method with my 2 first guys since Merlin wouldn't hear about hands either. So they learned to step up and let me carry them back to their cage, but it took 1.5 hour the first time so don't expect this to be easy to begin with.. They have to understand what you want with the stick, plus understand why you move the stick once they are on it, and to be OK with being back in their cage... Now Merlin's friend died last year and we have a new bird. I didn't teach her to step up so I have to put Merlin in first, then she'll follow. The problem is when Merlin doesn't agree to go in, or when Nova is following but lands between Merlin and the cage door... and refuses to go inside if he isn't, but blocks him from going in. Then they end up flying away and I have to start all over again :wacky:
 

Zara

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My big safety concern is the combination of free-flying, untamed bird, and times when I really NEED him to get back into the cage for whatever reason. If he hasn't gotten to the point of trusting us, I have horrible images of needing to net him or something :(.
Birds will get hungry and return to their cage eventually.
One of my lovebirds does not like hands, and is not ¨tame¨. I let her out of her cage from day 1 of finding her and over the last couple of years, there has only been one day that she did not want to return to her cage. I always limited her to one room at first, but now I know she will return to her cage. We established a tap system - I tap her cage, she comes back, gets a treat and I close the door.
 

Gribouille

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We established a tap system - I tap her cage, she comes back, gets a treat and I close the door.
I tried something like that too, when they agree they come. When not, they are being very stubborn... o_O
 

EmZee

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A little progress last night and this morning. I got a short spray of millet and held it by the stem, and brought it toward him while he was in the cage. He backed off a little, but after a minute or two he started chowing down. Later this morning, he started across he perch bridge to his tree, when I realized I'd left the cage cover over the top. I went to remove it - didn't get within 3 feet of him - but he bolted to the floor. Since we have a ladder hanging from the cage to the floor, he was able to return to the cage on his own (we wouldn't let him exit on his own at all unless we had that in place).

He does have free access to the millet hanging from his play tree; well, during the day, when we're home and leave his door open - so 12+ hours a day. But no millet in his cage unless there's a Big Scary Human Hand in with it.

Thanks for the reminder of the stick; I'd heard of that but hadn't pushed trying it. We actually have an appropriate-sized dowel, or maybe I'll use a spare perch. I imagine if I hold it and the millet parallel, he might accidentally step onto the perch - but I expect it's best to not move the perch the first few times he does that.
 

Monica

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Agreed, Morty appears hen. If the mother is not an Ino (lutino/albino), then guaranteed you have a little girl!

In Ino's, pink cere means male, white/blue-ish/tan/brown means female.

I think you are starting on the right tract to taming Morty and gaining her trust. If she wont take millet from you directly, it's okay to set it down and back off a little while not looking at her directly. Here's what I did with a flock of budgies and it didn't take long at all (IMO) to get them comfortable to flying towards me! (works with other species, too! ;) )

An Experiment with Budgies | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum


Now, if you do want a second budgie, it would be best to have a separate cage for the new bird to ensure that your first and second are healthy prior to introducing them. It doesn't mean that they can't eventually live together, but birds can get upset when a stranger enters their home... and it's always a good idea to ensure both are healthy so you don't compromise either health.


Not providing a nest box does not guarantee a hen wont lay eggs. I have one hen (cockatiel) laying right now and she has no place to lay them! Most have broken at the bottom of the cage....


Here's an interesting little fact.... providing a healthy, varied diet (seeds, pellets, vegetables, sprouts, *maybe* some fruits) and exercise (via flight) can help to prevent egg binding in hens!!!
 

EmZee

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Interesting tale of feeding from your hand. Morty always has food in his (her?) dish. We do let him (gonna stick with that - since with just one bird, it's sorta moot right now) have all the out-of-cage time he wants - the play tree is right next to the cage, and he can get to that via a rope bridge. When we uncover his cage in the morning and open the door, he's usually over there within 5 minutes since it's where we have the millet sprays hanging. The other day, when his cage was uncovered, the door wasn't opened right away and apparently he hollered loudly when he realized that!

No more wing clipping. His wings are definitely looking more grown out. He "flew" about 8 feet yesterday - sort of a controlled glide, which is an improvement over a plummet - no gain in altitude but at least he didn't crash-land. Dunno if he'll ever learn to fly "well" since his wings were clipped at such a young age.

We've gotten to the point where I can hold a spray of millet near him in the cage, with a finger visible but not between him and the goodies, and he'll first peck at it (presumably to make Bad Scary Thing go away), then realize it's Good Tasty Thing and start eating it. A couple days ago I tried holding it with my finger between him and the millet - he didn't need to step onto the finger to get the treat, but he did not like that at all and actually bit me. No damage done - but he lost the millet immediately - natural consequences for him I guess :)

We were away for over a week (had people in the house, just not right by his cage all day like I am) so I'm giving him a couple more days then going to try the trick with millet next to a perch of some sort, to see if he can learn to step onto that.

Re a companion: not going to rush too fast on that, as our housecleaner had several of hers die suddenly for reasons unknown. Once things have settled down there, I might ask about a second bird; I can definitely borrow a cage from her for the introductory / quarantine period.
 

Zara

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Great update :fairy2:

, he's usually over there within 5 minutes since it's where we have the millet sprays hanging.
I bet!! :lol:

I´m happy to see his wings are growing back and you won´t be clipping them. He will be a happier bird for it :)

as our housecleaner had several of hers die suddenly for reasons unknown
I can definitely borrow a cage from her for the introductory / quarantine period.
Be extremely careful borrowing a cage from someone who had multiple sudden bird deaths.
Sterilize the cage using bleach or F10 and leave it out in the direct sun for a couple of days.
 

Fergus Mom

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Glad to hear you are making progress - it does take SUCH patience! :xflove:
What is most important is that Morty is learning to trust you. No more grabbing or chasing... Morty probably had enough of that when the big scary hand of cleaning lady grabbed him and put the scissors to the wings. :(

Both of mine love their birdie crack too. I did a diary of their daily events and posted it on AA if you wish to look and see how long each phase of 'socializing' took!
Fergus and Fiona Diary / Log of training and daily adventures beginning JUNE 2017 | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
 

Lady Jane

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Have you perch trained the budgie? Makes for easier handling. This bird can be trained in time with lots of your time with her Keep a calm environment. Budgies have a strong flock instinct and do much better with a cage mate. They are also much happier and healthier with a full set of flight feathers. Take a few moments out of your day to read this article from a well known and informed parrot person.
Flock Call - Clipped Wings @ zara didn't you post some with Pam Clarks articles about flight all together?
 
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Zara

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@ zara didn't you post some with Pam Clarks articles about flight all together?
Here´s the link; Should I clip my birds wings? | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
@EmZee maybe you could share it with your housekeeper?
Also, one of the articles (I think part 6) is about living with a flighted bird, you could find it very eye opening. To be honest, it´s worth reading all 6 links, it won´t take you too long ;)

This link may help you with training: Free Training Resources | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
It´s jam packed full of links to articles and advice :)
 

EmZee

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Thanks for all the links!!

Morty's definitely having some better luck with flying. He can't gain much altitude yet - yesterday, he was on the floor a few feet from his cage, and tried to fly up to a footstool right in front of the cage, and didn't quite make it.

He's spending a LOT of time on a rope perch just outside his cage door. There's a toy just above that, with 3 bells, that he jingles constantly. I imagine he'll get bored with it at some point. He no longer panics when I walk around the room, but yesterday while he was on that perch, the fact that I approached the cage to put a piece of fruit in it was just too much - and he fluttered across the room (about 10 feet) to land near the steps up from the family room to the kitchen. Well, I needed to walk back to the kitchen, and there he was, blocking my way, and I didn't want to panic him.... then I decided I was NOT going to be trapped in the family room by a 2 ounce bird :D. So I walked toward the stairs, he saw me coming, and bolted back toward the cage.
 
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